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Rookie Question - Landing Gear with single motor - Movement

1slomofo
Explorer
Explorer
Okay,

I'm a new 5th wheel owner. I camp off-road and very rarely on level ground. I level my trailer side to side using leveling blocks under the tires... but my question is about the landing gear.

My set up is single motor that drives both of the left and right side legs. If I am camped on un-even ground I know that I can slide the legs up and down in 1-inch increments to off-set the level of the ground. But 1 inch isn't a fine enough adjustment. Sometimes the left leg is touching ground and the right leg is still about 1 inch off the ground. When I extend the gear down is there a clutch or something that compensates for only one leg touching the ground and waits for the other leg to touch?

Otherwise it seems extending the legs like this would start push me out of level?

-2015 32SAG Eclipse Attitude Toyhauler
-2010 Mosebilt 2-seater Long Travel Sand Car
-2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax
-2006 Kawasaki Kfx400
-1984 Wife
15 REPLIES 15

Gib3633
Explorer
Explorer
Camping world sold an adaptor which went between the shoe and the leg and it was installed using original pins and it was a 3/4 bolt stainless that screwed in or out as required. It worked great . However when you retract the leg you need to remove the top pin of the adaptor and carry in storage as it could and would unwind and you would loose it on the highway.

Passin__Through
Explorer
Explorer
salem wrote:
Ed ke6bnl: Do you know who makes those, or what they're called? I'd like to look them up if you do. Sounds like something I'd be interested in.


Winfield RV Products has them, as Old Biscuit mentioned. I have their adjustable foot on my 5er and like it. Try Winfieldrvproducts.com. And check out their 5th wheel adjustable landing leg extension.
2008 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax 4x4 CCSB; Superglide 16k hitch w/3" lift kit; Titan 52-gallon replacement fuel tank :C
2007 HitchHiker II LS 26.5RLBG Mor/Ryde pinbox:B

bogart661
Explorer
Explorer
Road Runners wrote wrote:
I too carry 1/4 and 1/2 inch squares of plywood to fine tune the landing gear length


X3
Vinnie and Chris
2013 2WD Chevy Silverado LTZ 3500HD Crew Cab Short Bed Duramax/Allison Reese R16 Slider
2014 Crossroads Cruiser Patriot CF305SK

ependydad
Explorer
Explorer
My landing gear "slips" when one side touches before the other. I'm not sure what is happening and honestly tried to dial in the pins and a board underneath to get them to touch as evenly as possible.
2017 Spartan 1245 by Prime Time
2018 Ram 3500 Crew Cab DRW w/ 4.10 gears and 8' bed
FW Hitch: TrailerSaver TS3
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greende
Explorer II
Explorer II
laknox wrote:
Personally, I level side-side, pull the pins on the landing leg extensions, let 'em hit the ground, then power the legs down until the pins snap back into place. I've never been on a spot so unlevel that I felt I had to shim one side over the other. Any twist to the frame is so minor that I doubt I could even measure it. All I do is to put a spare lego block under the feet to spread the load a bit. (shrug)

Lyle


I essentially do the same as Lyle. I drop the legs to the closest pin setting and extend the landing gear.
2011 Chevy 3500 HD LTZ Duramax/Allison Crew Cab Long Box DRW
B&W Turnover Ball with Companion

2012 Keystone Cougar 293 SAB 5er

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goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
Road Runners wrote:
I too carry 1/4 and 1/2 inch squares of plywood to fine tune the landing gear length.


x2

salem
Explorer
Explorer
Ed ke6bnl: Do you know who makes those, or what they're called? I'd like to look them up if you do. Sounds like something I'd be interested in.

laknox
Nomad
Nomad
Personally, I level side-side, pull the pins on the landing leg extensions, let 'em hit the ground, then power the legs down until the pins snap back into place. I've never been on a spot so unlevel that I felt I had to shim one side over the other. Any twist to the frame is so minor that I doubt I could even measure it. All I do is to put a spare lego block under the feet to spread the load a bit. (shrug)

Lyle
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
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Ed_ke6bnl
Explorer
Explorer
I was given store bought device that attaches to one leg it has an adjustable pad that takes up the difference works great

korbe
Explorer
Explorer
After I extend the manual legs, I will motor down until one leg touches. I will then shim the other side.
.

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
Single motor drives BOTH sides equally......

So if both legs are not touching ground after dropping inner tubes then one leg assembly will start lifting trailer before other takes some load. This can cause twisting of frame and failure of landing gear leg (shear pins/drive gear/jam nut)

Best to have both touching ground prior to extending (raising 5vr)
Shovel to dig out highside, small thin blocks for shims OR adjustable foot pads (Winfield RV Products)
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
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fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
It's very unlikely there is any kind of clutch. And using just one leg to raise the front will most likely put a lot of strain on the motor, the one leg, and the frame, all of which can't be good IMO.

I have a Fuzion toyhauler with a single motor front landing gear which sounds very similar to yours. If I can't get it level with adjusting the legs with the pins, then I either use a small block under the leg, which I rarely have, or I take out the bolt that secures the telescoping connecting tube for the two legs. Then I raise the opposite leg by turning the tube until the legs will be level. Then I line the holes up and put the bolt back.

It's not a big deal and insures that both legs at least start out level.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Road_Runners
Explorer
Explorer
I too carry 1/4 and 1/2 inch squares of plywood to fine tune the landing gear length.
'05' F-250 Power Stroke
'00' 30' Cameo Fifth Wheel

fly-boy
Explorer
Explorer
If your off road I suggest you always have a shovel- A shovel of dirt added/removed is a great way to adjust and you don't have to carry anything extra.
2016 Chevy LTZ
2009 WW HKD
A few toys...